Heuglin's Francolin
Pternistis icterorhynchus
Silhouette: Amanda Kuhlman · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderGalliformes (Landfowl)
- FamilyPhasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
- GenusPternistis (African Spurfowl)
- SpeciesPternistis icterorhynchus (Heuglin's Francolin)
About the Heuglin's Francolin
Heuglin's spurfowl (Pternistis icterorhynchus) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda. The German explorer Theodor von Heuglin first described the species.
Heuglin's spurfowl was described in 1863 by the German ornithologist and explorer Theodor von Heuglin from specimens collected near the Pongo River in what is now the Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan. He coined the binomial name Francolinus icterorhynchus. The specific epithet icterorhynchus combines the Ancient Greek ikteros meaning "jaundice-yellow" and rhunkhos meaning "bill". The species is now placed in the genus Pternistis that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler in 1832. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that Heuglin's spurfowl is sister to the double-spurred spurfowl. Heuglin's spurfowl is considered to be monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
Image at ADW Xeno-canto: audio recordings of Heuglin's spurfowl Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Heuglin's Francolin in Murchison Falls National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Murchison Falls National Park
Scaly Francolin
Pternistis squamatus
Yellow-necked Francolin
Pternistis leucoscepus
Red-necked Francolin
Pternistis afer
Crested Francolin
Ortygornis sephaena
Harlequin Quail
Coturnix delegorguei
Common Quail
Coturnix coturnix
Ring-necked Francolin
Scleroptila streptophora
Coqui Francolin
Campocolinus coqui
Helmeted Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
Crested Guineafowl
Guttera pucherani
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Heuglin's Francolin in Murchison Falls National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Heuglin's Francolin sighting in Murchison Falls National Park, based on 282 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Heuglin's Francolin in Murchison Falls National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Heuglin's Francolin in Murchison Falls National Park in our monthly data.